Abortion foes showered state Senate offices with hundreds of roses yesterday on Valentine’s Day,
but the affection was spurned by some lawmakers who felt the pricey push for passage of a bill
outlawing most abortions was inappropriate.

“Supporters of the bill can continue to bring us gifts and gimmicks, but I asked them to bring
us solutions,” said Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond.

Unrelenting proponents of House Bill 125 delivered 2,200 red roses to Senate offices after a
morning news conference in the Statehouse. Staff members in state Sen. Shannon Jones’ office
cleared a desk and credenza as 20 dozen roses were brought to the GOP majority whip and member of
the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee, where the legislation has been held up for
months.

In other offices, the flowers were turned away.

“Bringing gifts with the caveat to vote for a particular bill is in poor taste,” said Sen. Capri
Cafaro, D-Hubbard.

Cafaro said she generally doesn’t accept gifts so that she doesn’t have to report them on her
financial-disclosure statements.

“We don’t need gifts. It doesn’t feel right,” said Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus. “They
can use their resources in other ways.”

House Bill 125 would give Ohio the most-restrictive abortion law in the nation, banning
abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be medically detected. That’s usually about five to six weeks
into pregnancy, when many women don’t yet know they are pregnant.

Supporters say the bill would prevent about 90 percent of the roughly 30,000 abortions performed
each year in Ohio.

“Bring this bill to a vote before the roses and babies die,” said Janet Folger Porter, president
and founder of Faith2Action, the conservative group that delivered the flowers.

Last month, the group delivered to all 33 senators stuffed bears that, when squeezed, played the
sound of a heartbeat. Arrangements have been made to donate the bears to a local pregnancy center.
Last year, they brought senators red heart-shaped helium balloons.

Niehaus and other lawmakers seem to have tired of the theatrics.

“Several weeks ago, I asked both sides to step back from the legislative process and sit down
together for a dialogue. I have yet to see any progress toward that end,” said Niehaus, who intends
to restart hearings on the bill in March.

“I’m still confident we can renew our consideration of the ‘Heartbeat Bill’ if the interested
parties can set aside the publicity stunts and work toward a consensus.”

Anti-abortion forces are divided over the bill. Ohio Right to Life opposes it, fearing that such
a ban on abortions would not withstand a court challenge, and the legal battle could backfire by
reinforcing the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling giving women the right to an abortion.

But yesterday, talk was light and the air fragrant as supporters made their deliveries: 12 dozen
roses each to the four majority leaders; eight dozen to each of the nine members of the health
committee; and the rest to other senators. Jones, who serves in leadership and on the health
committee, received the most.

The roses, purchased by donors across the state, were valued at $5,500, according to pricing on
Faith2Action’s website. Folger said lawmakers received no more than three roses from any one donor,
a move that Faith2Action made to keep the value under the $25 reporting threshold for legislative
financial-disclosure statements.